The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-01-21
sLEEPLEssnEss
a Condition Generally Caused by Wor-
rY or Mental Strain.

Sleeplessness, writes contributor ton CaS-
sells Magazine, In probably nine cases out Of
ten, Is caused by continual mental strain or
worry. The caplllaries Of the brain become
stretched, and lose their resillency; they are
unable, therefore. to empty themselves Of
blood when the hour Of rest comes round, and
so wakefulness continues far into the night
until the body is fairly worn out and sinks
into the lethargy Of exhaustion.
1t will bewell for people who suffer thus
to at once take a holiday. You say you can
not, that business will not permit you.
/ doubt this very much. Would yam really
throw vour life, or probably your reason, a.
way for the sake OF business2 The question
Is one you ought to try to answer. But II Is
my privilege to tell you that, In the early
stage Of sleeplessness, few weeks stay at a
bracing seaside place often acts like magic;
people return home restored to health and
calm--return home to positively wonder that
the cares and worries that so bothered them
could have been such bogies.
Above all other remedies for sleeplessness
place change Of air and change Of scene, In
conjunction with plain nutritious diet and
more natural way OF living.
Why can not sleep? IL may be that you
really have-unknown to you-some funct-
ional arrangement Of the liver, the stomach
or the heart. This must be removed, and
sANNH Vs. - S~~~- f@-''f @~-->- f'-~~ -
Think and consider whether Of late you
have given way TO any table indlscretion
tnat may have affected the liver and rendered
it either sluggish or too active. In these
cases the blood will In reality have become
poisoned and contamination with bile, the
mind becomes dull and probably gloomy ali
day and overactive towards nightfall. The
sure indication of treatment Is 10 strictly reg
ulate the diet for q few weeks, TO take an oc-
casional blue pill at night, with glass of
Pullna water, half an hour before breakfast,
and to take course of Turkish baths III per-
mitted by your own medical adviserl. with
reasonable amount Of exercise In the open
air.
Dyspepsia win produce sleeplessness, and
NAV In ordinary cases be cured In the same
way, though aperients should rather be avol-
ded. Most careful regulation Of diet Is how
ever, a sine qua non.
1t Is not a good plan to go to bed with an
entirely empty stomach. Again, II the body
feels hot a cold bath, followed by a bottle
Of soda water and fifteen grains OF the bicar-
Donate Of soda, viii have good effect.
Sometimes a hot bath will do more good
than a cold one; the state of ones own feel
ings is to be consulted, and the results made
a mental note OF.
DO you smoke mueh9 II so, return to
health is not to be expected until the habit Is
overcome.
Exercise in abundance taken during the
day in the open air is in hundreds Of cases
a cure for sleeplessness, but this exercise
should not be ofa too fatiguing kind; It
should be spread over great many hours;
stshould be pleasant, calming exercise, and
not CJ1i.sRued up TO late hour. Overfatigue
must be earesuly avoided.
The practice Il taking stimulants to anV
extent Is very apt to produce sleep,essness
by keeping up an unnatural excitement Of
the brain.
Wine negus has been recommended as
night cap, and even stronger stimulants
They should only be prescribed by med
| ieal man, for they are narcotics, and narcot-
| les In any form tend to make matters worse
| in the long run.
| Well, then, what wish particularly to Inn
| press upon my readers Is the fact that sleep.
lesSness must be sought out and removed be
| fore there can be the slightest chance or hope
OF anything like permanent cure.
Then hygiene steps In for g00d-regulatiOr
of diet and of your entire and eomplets
Rise betimes and have that braeing cold
| bath, with a few handfuls Of sea-salt In L.
eat some fruit before breakfast notably
| prunes, oranges, grapes or stewed apples.
Avoid tea and coffee and cigar allurements
Take no kind Of stimulant on an empty
stomach. Avoid fret and care and overex
/ citement during the day. Determine-if Won
can-that nothing shallannoy or irritate you
Take exereise-you must, even though a
/ great expense and inconvenience.
Cycling In moderation, and without "spurt
ing or rushing up hills, Is the best and mos
| delightful OF exercises, but beware Of catch
/ ing cold. always change a damp undergar
ment before sitting down to dinner, and, pre-
/ yiously 10 redressing II will be found mos
refreshing to rub the body with cold we
sponge, then to dry with a rough towel.
Never eat when fatigued, Dine early
| live plainly. take nothing that 10 In the leas
likely to disagree with you.
Take a last good walk about an hour befor
retiring for the night
Look upon narcotics In any shape as poison
room itself. The room should be large. mos
eleanly and free from dust, with a prOpe
system Of ventilation by door and window.
The temperature should be equable al
through the night and through the year a
possible-from 50' to COZ, according to age
the old and very young requiring NOR
warmth than the young and middle-aged.